An investigation by the Times Union, based in Albany, revealed that serious police car crashes resulting in property damage, injury or deaths increased dramatically over the last decade in New York. With support from the Fund, the Times Union team analyzed state and federal data, obtained crash records from eight of the largest police departments in the state and interviewed law enforcement officials, crash experts and victims or their families. The multi-part series found that police officers in New York receive some training on driving tactics at the police academy, but many receive little or no additional instruction on those skills during their careers. Two weeks after the stories were published, a New York legislator introduced a bill to increase emergency vehicle driving training for police.
Series on police crashes in NY State helps spark new legislation days after publication
